For hundreds of years natural limestone has been a favored finish material on both the exteriors and interiors of buildings. The exquisite texture, color, and line of natural limestone coveys a richness and dignity not found in other materials used to finish walls and adjacent surfaces of buildings. The cost of both the materials and the known methods of installing heavy limestone panels has limited the use of the material. While in recent years the return of residential and commercial architecture to more historic designs has increased the popularity of limestone, the high cost has often required the substitution of brick, stucco, or simulated stone. The use of relatively thick limestone panels, such as two inches (2 in.) or more, has required traditional installation materials and techniques, including laying the stone one on the other using mortar joints in much the same manner as brick walls and related structures are constructed.